John Frieda, the British celebrity hairstylist and haircare entrepreneur, has died at 75, his salon announced on Tuesday, November 3. In an Instagram post, the John Frieda salon said he had died peacefully surrounded by his family and described him as more than a mentor: a defining figure in the hair industry who taught his team, believed in them and helped them improve.
Born in 1951, Frieda came from a family of hairdressers and trained at London’s House of Leonard salon. By the 1970s he had established himself as a stylist to stars and high-fashion magazines, and he later opened his own salons, which expanded into an international haircare empire. Over his career he worked with clients including Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna.
His product business, John Frieda Professional Hair Care, was known for the Frizz-Ease line and was sold to the Japanese cosmetics group Kao in 2002. Frieda was married twice and had four children.
Cetera Lamb, creative director at his salon, said the industry had lost a true legend and a real maverick in hairdressing. The salon’s tribute framed Frieda’s influence as both personal and professional, extending from the stylists he trained to the clients and brands associated with his name.